C. J. Hicks (born December 1, 2003) is an American football linebacker for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
| Ohio State Buckeyes – No. 11 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Class | Junior |
| Major | Business |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 1, 2003 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 233 lb (106 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| Bowl games | |
| High school | Archbishop Alter (Kettering, Ohio) |
Early life and high school
editHicks was born and grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He attended Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering, Ohio, where he won Ohio's Division III Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, after recording 84 tackles, 18 for loss, and 2 interceptions.[1] During his high school career, he played multiple defensive positions, such as strong safety, or outside linebacker,[2] and was also awarded two first-team All-Ohio selections.[3] Coming out of high school, Hicks was rated as one of the best players in the 2022 recruiting class.[2] He was rated a 5-star prospect by 247Sports, but most services rated him a 4-star.[2] He received offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M,[4] before ultimately committing to Ohio State.[3]
College career
editHicks made his college football debut during the 2022 season when Ohio State beat Arkansas State.[5] Against Michigan in the 2022 edition of The Game, Hicks exited the game after the opening kickoff with a knee injury in the 45–23 loss.[5] He recorded 6 tackles, 4 solo, 2 assisting in 12 games, including their Peach Bowl loss, played during his freshman season.[6] During the 2023 season, Hicks played a career-high 71 snaps, in which 18 of the snaps he played during the Buckeyes' 38–3 win over Michigan State was also a career-high, but in a single game.[1] He also played 4 snaps in the Buckeyes' loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic.[7] So far in his college career, Hicks has racked up 14 tackles, with 1 being for loss.[1] During the 2024 season, Hicks made his first career start against Akron at will linebacker.[8] Hicks also took snaps at weakside linebacker as well.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Gay, Colin (July 17, 2024). "3 things to know about Ohio State LB C.J. Hicks". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hartman, Marcus (March 22, 2024). "Ohio State football: Alter product C.J. Hicks working on multiple roles this spring". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Hope, Dan (December 15, 2021). "Signed: C.J. Hicks is Highest-Rated Prospect, Peer Recruiting Leader of Ohio State's Class of 2022". Eleven Warriors. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "C.J. Hicks, Ohio State, Linebacker". 247Sports. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ a b Benge, Jacob (December 29, 2022). "Football: Hicks says he's "100 percent," reflects on Peach Bowl experience". The Lantern. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Citro, Michael (May 29, 2023). "Player to Watch: C.J. Hicks". Land-Grant Holy Land. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Rabinowitz, Bill (August 7, 2024). "Why Ohio State linebacker C.J. Hicks believes he's ready for a breakthrough season". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ Anders, Andy (August 31, 2024). "C.J. Hicks Makes First Career Start at Will Linebacker Against Akron". Eleven Warriors. Retrieved October 4, 2024.